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M6 Toll lanes closed for repair
Page 8
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The IV6 Toll is hit by roadworks just five weeks in — CM news team reports.
THE COMPANY RUNNING Britain's first toll motorway was hurrying this week to put an end to the embarrassment which saw a section closed for repairs just five weeks after it opened.
The 100-metre section of the M6 toll road is now marred by the familiar sight of orange traffic cones. The roadworks led to two-mile tailbacks on the road on Monday morning (19 January), and calls from the Association of British Drivers for drivers to be compensated for the delays.
A spokesman for toll operator Midland Expressway (MEL) says most of the work was completed over the weekend: it is liaising with the contractor to ensure the remaining work is completed -quickly". He declined to say if drivers would get a refund for the delay:"We apologise to customers and ask those who were severely inconvenienced to write to our customer services department explaining the particular circumstances for our consideration."
MEL has also hit back at suggestions that operators are boycotting the M6Toll because the £10 fee for trucks is too high.
It says that it is confident that truck drivers will increasingly opt to pay it because of congestion on the M6 through Birmingham.
A spokesman says the first weeks and months after the road opening were always going to be a "learning process" but he adds: "We expect demand to grow steadily over time because it takes time for people's attitudes and behaviour to change.
-We welcome HGV driven and operators onto the M6 Tol and we're confident that over tim( drivers will choose to avoid tin notoriously congested M6 and gc onto a free-flowing M6Toll."
A snap survey earlier this mon tt revealed that only one in every 285 trucks is going along the tol motorway instead of the M6 (CI 15 January).
Andrew Bridge. chairman of the West Midlands Freight Council oi the Freight Transport Association says that his members remain sup. portive of the new road — but only at the right price: "MEL shoulc now reduce the lorry toll anc negotiate more economic rates foi truck operators who are buying multiple journeys."